


Halloween Vignettes

by nerdcredred, Ocelot_l



Series: Heartbeats Trilogy [2]
Category: Atop the Fourth Wall, That Guy with the Glasses/Channel Awesome
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2013-11-01
Packaged: 2017-12-31 04:06:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1027042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdcredred/pseuds/nerdcredred, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocelot_l/pseuds/Ocelot_l
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Halloween, and it's time for scary movie marathons, trick-or-treating, and a Halloween party! But what happens when someone finally decides it's time to come clean about how he feels?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Heartbeats](https://archiveofourown.org/works/520309) by [Ocelot_l](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocelot_l/pseuds/Ocelot_l). 



> All works can also be found on my LiveJournal page at http://bookishlady242.livejournal.com/
> 
> We do not own these characters nor the people who portray these characters. This is meant as a work of fiction and is fair use.

“Hey Dan!”

Dan looked up from the coffee table where he’d been laying out bowls of chips, popcorn, and candy corn, and smiled as 90s Kid walked into the living room.

“Hey Kid! I’m glad you’re here.” He moved to hug his boyfriend and kissed him happily. “So, how was the bus ride?”

“Mostly not cool, since it was full of old business dudes and dudettes who were, like, totally more interested in their boring phones than talking to me,” 90s Kid admitted with a roll of his eyes before he smiled again. “I’m so stoked to finally be here again for our awesome weekend of fun! So like, what do you want to do first?”

“I have a few ideas for this weekend,” Dan said as he walked into the kitchen, “and tonight, I thought you might enjoy a movie marathon.” He returned shortly with several cans of soda and a bowl of onion dip, which he laid out on the table as well. 90s Kid eyed the goodies hungrily.

“Oh wow, dude, this looks awesome! We’re going to have the most radical night ever! Are your babe roommate and robot buddy gonna watch too?”

“Nah, they decided to spend the weekend visiting friends, so it’s just you and me.” Dan finished laying out the pretzel sticks before smiling as he heard the growl of the younger man’s stomach. “Help yourself, Kid, this is for both of us to share.”

“Thanks a ton, dude, I’m starving!” 90s Kid kissed Dan once again before plopping down onto the couch and grabbing a handful of chips. Dan took a soda and a few pretzels for himself before sitting down beside 90s Kid, who quickly scooted over to sit closer to him. “So,” he said with a mouthful of food before stopping to swallow, “what kind of movie are we watching? Oh, is it that awesome one with the talking horse again?”

“No, sadly we’re not going to be re-watching ‘Hot to Trot’,” Dan replied. “For some reason, I can’t find any of my twenty-two copies of it.”

“That’s weird,” 90s Kid said as he scooped what looked like six inches of dip onto a chip.

“Well, I’m sure they’ll turn up eventually,” Dan said with a carefree shrug. “And if they don’t, I can just raid the bargain bins at the mall again!”

“That's an awesome plan,” 90s Kid agreed. “So like, what movies do you have? Action flicks with lots of explosions and huge guns?” Dan couldn’t help laughing at the hopeful expression on the teen’s face.

“Nope, not those either. Since Halloween is almost here, I thought we could get into the spirit early and watch some classic horror movies!” Dan reached under the coffee table and pulled out a stack of VHS cassettes proudly. 90s Kid, who’d been trying to open a soda can, almost dropped it.

“H-horror movies? You mean like… scary movies?”

“Yep!” Dan nodded. “I’ve got a dozen of these babies which are guaranteed to chill your blood, upset your stomach, and send shivers up your spine!” Still smiling broadly, he held the collection out to 90s Kid. “Do you have any preference, Kid? I’m sure you must have seen all of these, since you love anything that’s darker and edgier!”

90s Kid, who’d gotten considerably paler, was about to say something but stopped himself at Dan’s last remark. “Uh, y-yeah, dude, of course! I totally love darker and edgier comics, so… I should totally like that junk in movies too… I-I mean, I do like it in movies! But, uh, I haven’t seen any of these, so you can pick, Dan.” He lowered his gaze then and started concentrating on flicking the tab of his soda can. Dan set his stack of tapes down and frowned slightly as he looked at 90s Kid.

“Um, Kid, are you okay? You look a little strange right now.”

“I’m fine, dude, just totally super awesome,” 90s Kid said in a tone of voice that did not sound believable at all. “I’m just, uh, tired from the bus ride is all.” Still frowning, Dan leaned closer to the younger man.

“Are you sure that’s it, Kid? If you don’t want to watch movies now, we don’t have to-”

“No, I totally want to,” 90s Kid interrupted as he reached out to grab a tape at random. “Here, this one! It’ll be totally radical, dude, I know it!”

“Well, okay then.” Dan couldn’t help feeling that something was amiss, but 90s Kid was grinning at him and bouncing around again as he chomped on chips, so he shrugged and decided his boyfriend really must have felt a moment of fatigue. He pushed the tape into the VCR and hurried to sit back down beside 90s Kid.

“Um, I’m sort of cold, dude, so is it okay if I, like, use this?” 90s Kid was fingering a blanket that was lying in a nearby chair. Dan nodded.

“Sure, no problem.” 90s Kid quickly draped it over his and Dan’s legs and scooted close to the older man once again. “S-so, uh, what movie did I pick?”

Dan looked down at the cover. “I haven’t seen this one a while. It’s called ‘Christine’, and it’s based on a Stephen King novel.” He smiled over at 90s Kid. “You like cool cars, right?” 90s Kid hesitated before nodding. “Then this should be right up your alley then!”

“Okay, dude.” 90s Kid tightened his grip on the blanket as Dan turned off the lights to give them more of a movie theater feel. They watched the film in silence, save for the sound of munching, and little by little, the blanket started making its way off of Dan and completely onto 90s Kid, who was pretty much hugging it to his chest after thirty minutes.

Eventually, Dan noticed his boyfriend’s odd behavior, and he peered at 90s Kid with slight concern. “Kid, are you sure you’re all right? You don’t look very well.”

“The car!” 90s Kid blurted out before his cheeks reddened and he looked down, lowering his arms so the blanket could spill out over his lap again. “Uh, I mean, I think this movie isn’t really, like, working for me, dude. S-so maybe we should try another one… if that’s cool with you?”

“Oh.” Dan blinked, surprised by this answer, before he shrugged and reached for the remote. “Sure, Kid. If you don’t like it we can try another. Do you want to pick again?”

“No, you can do it.” 90s Kid looked up and shot Dan another grin. “You have awesome taste, dude, so I know you’ll pick something great.” Dan laughed, pleased with being complimented, and went to work searching through his movies.

“Hmmm… oh, here’s a great one,” Dan said, his eyes lighting up as he picked up another cassette. “We’ll stick with the King theme a little longer, and hopefully you’ll like this one better. Since you’re an animal lover, I bet you’ll get a lot out of ‘Cujo’. They did amazing work with the dog in this film.”

“A dog?” 90s Kid repeated, sounding slightly relieved. “That doesn’t sound so… uh, I mean, dogs are awesome! I totally always wanted a puppy when I was little.” He leaned back against the couch cushions and started watching with Dan.

Halfway into the movie, 90s Kid was sitting completely upright, the blanket now pulled around his head and shoulders like he was wearing a cloak, as he stared in horror at the screen.

“I… I changed my mind… I-I don’t want a puppy…”

“Mmm, yeah, dogs can be a lot of work,” Dan agreed, also transfixed by the screen. “I think I like cats better.” Completely oblivious to anything but the film, Dan continued to pop candy corn into his mouth as he watched, until his arms were obstructed by 90s Kid, who was now hugging him tightly and burying his face into Dan’s shoulder. “Uh, Kid, are you okay?”

“Yes,” came the muffled reply. “Just… still cold, dude… wanted a hug…”

Dan noticed he was trembling a little and felt instantly concerned.

“Kid, what’s wrong? Come on, you can tell me.” There was a growl from the screen and 90s Kid jumped before clinging to Dan tighter. Dan shut off the movie at once. “Kid, it’s okay now, the movie’s gone.”

“…it is?”

“Yes, sweetie, I turned it off.” Dan’s voice softened and he tried to shift around so he could better see 90s Kid. “Why didn’t you just tell me you don’t like scary movies?”

“I-I’m not scared,” 90s Kid quickly said, his voice still muffled and now very weak. “Only babies are scared of dumb movies that totally aren’t real."

“Plenty of adults are scared of these movies, Kid,” Dan said, gently freeing his arms so he could wrap them around his boyfriend. “I’ve seen people walk out of theaters because they couldn’t handle what was happening, and they were all much older than you.”

“Really?” 90s Kid lifted his head, cheeks bright red and sunglasses askew, revealing blue eyes wide with fright and embarrassment. Dan pulled off his shades and gently stroked his cheek as he looked at him.

“Really, Kid. You’re not the only one who feels like that, and there’s no reason to be ashamed because you do.” 90s Kid looked down once again.

“I feel so dumb for being scared,” he admitted. “I know it’s fake and junk, but I always feel like it’s real, you know?” 90s Kid sighed. “I wish I could be totally cool and mature like you, Dan.”

“You think I’m cool and mature?” Dan asked before chuckling a little. “Oh Kid, there are so many things I could tell you which would reassure you that those two words are not meant to describe me.”

“I’ll always totally think you’re those things, dude,” 90s Kid insisted, his smile starting to reappear. Dan leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose, which brought it back fully as he started giggling.

“And I’ll always think you’re a brave, awesome guy, no matter what types of movies you like or don’t like.”

“Thanks, Dan.” 90s Kid pulled him into a gentle kiss before sighing once again. “I guess I ruined movie night. Sorry, dude.”

“Oh nonsense, nothing’s ruined at all,” Dan said as he reached over to turn on the light. “We’ll just have to switch genres is all. In fact, I’m not even in the mood for movies anymore…”

Soon enough, 90s Kid was lying on the couch with his head in Dan’s lap, as the two watched Princess Luna visit Ponyville on Nightmare Night.

“You were right all along, Kid,” Dan said as he stroked the younger man’s hair. “We should have stuck with talking horses.”

\-----

It was just after sunset and the October air was starting to cool. The streetlamps had yet to turn on so jack-o-lanterns were the only source of light along the darkened paths, but this did nothing to deter the eager movers of the night. They hurried along from house to house, pressing doorbells and chanting the same phrase, which rang out in a chorus of cheerful voices.

*Ding Dong*

“Trick-or-treat!”

When footsteps signaled the arrival of the house’s inhabitants, a handful of colorful bags, pillowcases, and pumpkin buckets were held out in keen anticipation of tasty treats. Even though their satchels were already close to bursting with peanut butter cups and bat-shaped lollipops, nothing could deter these trick-or-treaters from visiting every house in the neighborhood.

“Hold on now, I’m a-coming,” a soft, frail voice called out from inside one such house. Moments later the door was pulled open to reveal a kindly old man called holding a bowl of candy. He adjusted his glasses before smiling down at costumed children standing before him. “Oh, what wonderful costumes you all have on. Now, while I see what I have for you little scamps, why don’t you tell me about them.”

“I’m a pirate!” a girl with pigtails and an eye patch proclaimed before the man dropped a lollipop into her bag.

“I’m a scary witch,” a second girl with green face paint replied, while the boy next to her shifted his tail between his hands.

“I’m a mouse,” he said shyly, his gaze fixed on his bag. The older man nodded approvingly and dropped two tiny candy bars into their bags.

“I’m a firefighter!” the smallest boy shrieked as he bounced around in the over-sized coat and hat covering his thin frame. He gasped when he saw a packet of gumdrops fall into his bag. “Thankth, Mithter Jenkinth!” the boy told him, smiling brightly to reveal his missing front teeth.

“That’s quite all right, sonny boy,” Mr. Jenkins said, smiling fondly down at him. “So, I guess that just leaves…”

“Me, dude! Trick-or-treat!”

The older man’s eyebrows rose in surprise as he realized a rather tall child in a strange costume consisting of giant shoulder pads, multiple belts wrapped around different parts of his body, and numerous pouches was also holding out a candy bag. Mr. Jenkins adjusted his glasses again and squinted at this peculiar child.

“Now, uh, just what might you be, son?”

“I’m 90s Kid! Oh, uh, I mean I’m totally Blood Gun!” 90s Kid quickly corrected as he adjusted the enormous plastic gun strapped to his back. “He’s this totally awesome superhero who, like, fights bad guys with his extreme guns of justice! And he’s so radical that no store even had a costume for him, so I totally made this one myself!”

“Ah, I can tell,” Mr. Jenkins said as he noticed some of the thread holding the pouches to his shirt and shorts had come undone, causing them to sag rather lower than normal.

“It’s the bestest costume ever!” the witch piped up, while the mouse and firefighter nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

“Next year I’m gonna be Blood Gun too!” the pirate added.

“Aw, you dudes are totally the most awesome buddies ever,” 90s Kid said, looking pleased by their compliments.

“It is a splendid costume,” Mr. Jenkins agreed, “but don’t you think you’re a little, oh, mature to be trick-or-treating, my boy?”

90s Kid stared at him with a completely solemn expression. “I do not think that at all, dude. Uh, sir dude.”

Mr. Jenkins frowned and opened his mouth to respond when the light on his front porch started flickering. “Oh gosh darn it. There it goes again. This confangled thing never works right.”

“Hmmm.” 90s Kid pondered the light a moment before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a strange device. Mr. Jenkins peered at it curiously.

“What have you got there, son?”

“Don’t worry, dude, I can totally fix that.” 90s Kid pointed the device at the light and pressed down on something which caused it to emit a strange buzzing sound. Or maybe that was Mr. Jenkins’ hearing aid, which he pulled out and started to fiddle with. To his surprise, the light suddenly stopped flickering and in fact started shining brighter than ever.

“Well, I’ll be.” Mr. Jenkins stared at the light while 90s Kid pocketed his device once again.

“There you go, man. That light will, like, never be flicker-y again.”

Mr. Jenkins shot 90s Kid a grateful smile. “I don’t know how to thank you, my boy. Oh, I know. Here you go.” Mr. Jenkins quickly dropped several pieces of chocolate into 90s Kid’s bag. “Now, you all go off and good time, you little scamps, and don’t eat too much candy all at once.”

“We totally won’t!” 90s Kid and the rest of the children called out as they ran back up the driveway.

“There’s only one house left!” the pirate girl said, pointing to the three-story brick domicile at the end of the cul-de-sac.

90s Kid took off at once, leading the way for the others. “Yeah, you’re totally right. Come on, dudes, that house is already, like, calling my name!”

“Be careful when you’re running, sweetie!”

A group of adults was moving steadily behind the collection of trick-or-treaters, making sure the children didn’t end up at any suspicious houses or take any wrong turns along the way. Most of the adults consisted of the children’s un-costumed parents, save one man who was wearing a sparkly blue jumpsuit with white lines crossing the arms, legs, and torso of the outfit.

“So then, in episode eleven, Automan goes undercover in a ladies only strip club as an exotic dancers.”

“Yeah, that’s, uh, great, Dan.”

“I have always loved that episode. If you were forced to choose only one episode to watch for the rest of your life, I’d make it this one.”

“Uh huh. Sure, Dan.”

“It’s just got so many layers to it,” Dan continued blathering, not at all noticing the looks of irritation the others would shoot him every minute or so. “I found it to be a shocking but poignant commentary on how society treats not only women but men who are willing to take their clothes off for money. We try to separate them from ourselves with all these fancy names and labels, but the truth of it is that labels often disable. Automan found that out the hard way, but it is not a lesson he will soon forget, my friends.”

“Why is this guy walking with us again?” a woman hissed into her husband’s ear.

“I don’t know,” the man admitted with a shrug. “He just came here with that kid. You know, the older one?”

“Well, why is that older kid here?” the woman asked, shooting a suspicious glance at 90s Kid as he almost tripped on a rock. “Isn’t he a teenager? He’s too old for this trick or treating stuff!”

“Aw, cut him some slack,” the man replied with an unconcerned shrug. “I used to do this all through high school myself and I loved it every year I did. Besides, he seems harmless enough and the kids certainly love him. We’ve seen him playing with them in the park, remember? They play tag and hide-and-seek, and he’s even done some skateboarding tricks for them.”

“Oh yeah, he was the guy who flipped into the air and landed in the fountain,” the woman remembered. “Well, I supposed you’re right about the kids liking him. I guess if we keep an eye on him, this shouldn’t be a problem.” Even though she agreed with her husband, she couldn’t keep herself from staring as 90s Kid rang the doorbell at the final house.

“Then, in episode twelve, we were introduced to the greatest vigilant cop ever to exist on 80s television: Mad Dog.”

“This one, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about,” the man finished, looking exhausted as Dan continued to chatter away.

The door to the next house opened to reveal a woman holding a bowl of candy in one hand and a plate of baked goods in the other.

“Hello, little dears,” she cooed as she took in their costumes. “I have an extra-special treat for you tonight. You may take some candy as well as one of my prize-winning pumpkin muffins! Aren’t you lucky little rapscallions? Back in the day, we were lucky to even get one piece of candy from a house, since apples and raisins were so popular, but now-”

“Thank you, Miss Marco!” The woman blinked in surprise when she realized the children had each taken a handful from her bowl before hurtling off across her lawn.

“Eh? Wait! You forgot your… oh, what’s the use? None of the children ever want to try my muffins.” The woman sighed and hung her head, about to turn around and head back into the house, when she heard another voice.

“Uh, Miss Marco-dudette? You, like, forgot to give me some candy.”

“Huh? Oh, uh, sorry dear, I didn’t realize-” Miss Marco turned back around and stared at 90s Kid for a moment. Then her lips formed a frown. “Oh, you… do you really think you should be asking for-hey!”

Before she could finish her question, 90s Kid’s hand had reached out to pluck one muffin from the plate. He took a bite and smiled before shoving the rest of it into his mouth.

“Aww, man, this muffin is totally radical! You’re an awesome cook, Miss Marco-dudette!”

“You… really mean that?” Miss Marco’s expression softened as 90s Kid bobbed his head up and down several times.

“I, like, wish I could have another one of your bodacious muffins!”

“Oh. Well, sure, you may have another.” Miss Marco held out her plate and watched with a small smile as 90s Kid happily munched away on a second muffin.

“This is so totally good!” 90s Kid told her as he licked the crumbs from his lips. “What do you, like, put in them?”

“Oh, just some pumpkin, some spices, and a secret ingredient,” Miss Marco replied, her eyes twinkling now. “These muffins won me a few blue ribbons back in the day, you know.”

“Blue ribbons are awesome!” 90s Kid agreed. “You totally deserved to win all of them!” He quickly swallowed the last of the baked good before eyeing the plate with a still hungry expression. Miss Marco chuckled before handing a third to him.

“You must really enjoy these, huh?”

“For sure! I love muffins! Just like my fifth favorite pony does! Uh, I mean, uh, superhero does. They, uh, totally like muffins and, uh, stuff.”

Miss Marco raised her eyebrow as 90s Kid’s face suddenly went red but she shrugged it off.

“Well now, since you enjoy them this much, please take the rest home with you.”

90s Kid looked at her as if she’d just offered him a million dollars. “What? No way! Are you sure I can, like, have them all?”

“Of course, dear. I want them to go to someone who will appreciate them.”

“Thank you, Miss Marco,” 90s Kid said, sounding truly grateful. “You’re the coolest, most radical and awesome neighbor ever.”

“Now, stop it,” Miss Marco said, looking pleased. “You just hold on while I fetch something to put these in-”

“Oh, it’s cool.” Without letting her leave, 90s Kid swiped all the muffins and set them carefully into his bag. “I’m totally going back home now, so one of your awesome stuff will get crushed by more candy and junk.”

“I see.” Miss Marco was about to turn and leave once again when she found herself being hugged by the teen.

“Thanks again for, like, everything! See you!”

In an instant he was gone. Miss Marco watched 90s Kid scurry back up her front lawn and found she was smiling so wide her cheeks were starting to hurt. But she didn’t mind the pain. She hadn’t smiled like that in quite a long time. 

The group of adults, who were looking rather suicidal by now, turned emotionless eyes to 90s Kid as he and the rest of the children approached them. To their relief, Dan stopped his explanation of why Automan would lose in a fight to Manimal as he headed over to see the teen.

“Hey Kid! How’s it going?”

“It’s totally awesome, dude! I scored tons of candy and these really excellent muffins from the gnarly lady!” He held out his bag for Dan to see.

“That’s great,” Dan said, patting 90s Kid on the shoulder.

“You wanna come trick-or-treat in my neighborhood?” the little witch asked, tugging on the belt hanging from 90s Kid’s arm. “We have lots of houses over there.”

90s Kid smiled fondly down at her before he squatted so they were at eye level. “That is a totally radical offer, little dudette, but my arms are, like, getting tired of carrying all this stuff. So I have to bail and say good night for tonight.”

A chorus of ‘awwws’ and ‘nos’ answered his statement.

“I know, it’s bogus that I can’t keep going with you,” 90s Kid agreed. “But I’m totally gonna be at the park next weekend, so we can hang out again and junk. I promise, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Bye, 90s Kid!”

“Thee you!”

“Yeah, see you!”

90s Kid stood back up and smiled at Dan. “Okay, dude, it’s totally almost time for to get ready for the party! So let’s boogie back home so I can drop my stuff and change.”

“All right, that sounds like a great plan to me.” Dan turned back to the group and offered an apologetic smile. “It seems I will have to leave before getting to finish my story.”

“Oh no.”

“Say it’s not so.”

“Sadly I cannot say that,” Dan continued, completely oblivious to the expressions of joy his words were eliciting. “Sorry to leave you folks in the middle of that epic tale, but I’m going to have to take my leave now. I guess we must wait until next Halloween arrives before I can finish it.”

“Somehow, we’ll make it through the year,” the man told him, keeping his hands firmly on his wife’s shoulders to keep her from dancing exuberantly. “Until next time, then.”

“That’s the spirit. Be well this year, my friends.” Dan nodded one last time at them before setting off down the street with 90s Kid. 90s Kid waved over to the other children as he passed by them until he and Dan turned a corner and were out of sight.

“So, did you get enough candy to last you a while?” Dan asked with a smile.

“Pshaw, dude, this won’t last a week,” 90s Kid replied, smiling back. “But it’s cool for tonight. The most awesome part was getting to, like, show off our radical costumes to the neighborhood and all my buddies. They’re totally bodacious dudes and dudettes.”

“Yeah, they were pretty cute, if lacking in knowledge of classic television,” Dan agreed. “Speaking of costumes, is your one for the party ready? Linkara’s going to want us to leave soon after we get back.”

90s Kid shot him a teasing grin. “Dude, it is totally ready and you are majorly gonna love it.”

Dan’s smile was equally teasing. “I could say the same to you, Kid.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some slight changes made compared to the LiveJournal version.

“Trick-or-treat!”

Linkara pulled open the apartment door and looked with a slightly critical eye down upon the smiling faces staring up at him.

“Well, well, it looks like you all worked very hard on these costumes,” he finally said, a smile sliding into place. “I guess the next time Angel’s Grove is in trouble, I know one cowgirl, one kitten, one Harry Potter, and one Lady Gaga I can call to the rescue!” Linkara chuckled, expecting the kids to do so in kind, but to his surprise they only blinked at him in response. “You know, Angel Grove? Where all the Power Rangers fight?” he continued, desperately hoping to jog their memories.

“Uh, can we have our candy now, Mister?” the kitten asked as he adjusted his ears.

“The Power Rangers! That’s still on TV! I know it is, I’ve seen it!” Linkara insisted, his grip on the candy bowl tightening. “Look, I’m even dressed like the Green Ranger? See?” He spun around for the kids, showing off his skin-tight outfit with pride.

“Aren’t you kinda old to be dressing up for Halloween, Mister?” the cowgirl asked, a slight arch to her eyebrow.

“W-what? No, I-I’m not old! I’m young, just like you guys! Sure I own my own home and have a job and pay taxes…” Linkara trailed off, a wave of melancholy overtaking him. “Um, gr-great costumes, kids. I really have to be going now, so here’s your candy. Bye.” He tossed handfuls of mini-candy bars at the children before closing the door and slumping down onto the couch. “Oh God, when did I get so old?” he moaned, burying his face in his hands. “Time has gone by so fast… when did I lose track of it all?”

Linkara massaged his temples for a few moments as he struggled with this latest crisis, before he caught sight of his DS lying on the table. Next to it lay a pile of comic books he was actually going to be reading for fun, as well as a few old action figures he’d just cleaned out of his closet and was going to offer to 90s Kid. Linkara gazed upon his beloved possessions and smiled, standing upright and bursting with confidence once again.

“They’re all wrong. It’s not about how you look, it’s about how you feel. If I feel young, then I will show the world that I’m not too old to enjoy playing with toys and dressing up in awesome costumes!” 

Linkara marched over to the nearest mirror right then and checked his reflection, smiling proudly at his appearance. No matter what any child told him, dressing up was cool, and the Green Ranger would always be the coolest costume around. Linkara took a moment to make sure his Dragon Dagger was securely in place before he spared a glance at the clock.

“Jeez, it’s later than I thought,” he muttered as he picked up his keys. “The party should be starting any time now. Hey, guys?” Linkara turned and called out as loudly as he could. “We’re going to be late if we don’t leave in the next five minutes!”

“All right, I’m coming.” Linkara watched the door to the lab swing open before Linksano appeared, looking almost exactly the same as he always did except for the fact that he was clad in red instead of black. “I certainly hope this party will be worth losing a whole night I could be spending with my experiments,” Linksano grumbled as he fiddled with his goggles.

“I’m sure you’ll have a good time,” Linkara reassured him as he came closer to better examine his outfit. “Nice Dr. Horrible costume, by the way.”

“Thank you!” Linksano replied with a cackle. “He’s always been one of my greatest heroes, you know. I only regret that I lack the proper singing range to truly capture his pain at not being recognized as a true evil-doer, and his desire to be with the person he loves.”

Linksano gave a rather melancholic sigh and Linkara couldn’t help frowning slightly. Even though he fully trusted Linksano as a member of his team, hearing about how easily he could relate to a villain caused the smallest bit of suspicion to flicker through his mind.

This flicker was then extinguished when Linksano caught sight of Boffo and clapped his hands like an excited seal.

“Oh, you’ve decided to go as a mime?” Boffo, who now sported a beret, a black and white striped shirt, and whose face had been painted completely white, nodded enthusiastically at Linksano. “I simply adore mimes! Ever since I was a child, I’ve found them captivating and mysterious,” Linksano admitted. Boffo grinned and placed his hands in the air before pretending to press against invisible objects all around him. “Look! He’s trapped in a box!”

“I can see that,” Linkara replied, feeling more amused by Linksano’s reactions than Boffo’s antics alone. A puff of smoke filled the living room before dissipating to reveal Ninja-Style Dancer.

*I am ready for the party.* Linkara’s expression fell when he realized the ninja was still dressed in his regular clothes.

“Aren’t you going to wear a costume tonight? That’s one of the best parts of Halloween.”

*I fail to see the point of that, since I disguise myself every day anyway.* Ninja-Style Dancer replied. *But if you are that concerned about it, I do have something prepared.* He reached into a pocket and pulled out a pair of Groucho glasses.

“That’s your costume?” Linkara was very much unimpressed as Ninja-Style Dancer slipped on the prop glasses, but he seemed to be the only one.

“You look remarkable!” Linksano said approvingly while Boffo pulled out his horn to honk in appreciation of the outfit.

“Wowie, are those the real deal? I haven’t seen a Marx brothers film in ages, but those specs are making me crave an evening of ‘Duck Soup’ and ‘Horse Feathers’.

“You too, Harvey?” Linkara turned around, fully expecting to roll his eyes at how easily the singer was impressed by such a pathetic excuse for a costume, but his eyes, as well as the rest of his body, froze at the sight of him.

While Harvey was still dressed in a snazzy suit, he had added a top hat, a white eye mask, and a flowing cape to his ensemble. He smiled when he realized Linkara was goggling at him and flicked his cape out with one gloved hand.

“I see you’re getting a kick out of the outfit, Kid.”

“Uh… oh, uh, yeah. So you’re… Tuxedo Mask?” Linkara finally managed to say. “But why? You don’t even like anime and I thought you hated dressing up?”

“Oh I dunno,” Harvey said with a casual shrug. “I just happened to be flipping through some of those Japanese comics you got, Kid, and I thought this cat had style. He’s a sharp dresser and a gentleman who comes to the assistance of any dame in trouble, so I figured he’d be the perfect reason to play dress-up tonight.”

“Oh, right. I’d forgotten about my _Sailor Moon_ comics.” Linkara had also forgotten that he used to have a childhood crush on Tuxedo Mask, but seeing him standing in the middle of his living room, bearing a crooked smile and deep blue eyes that twinkled in the light, was causing all those emotions to come flooding back.

Harvey seemed to get a kick out of his reaction and he twirled around, letting his cape flow out around him. “Looks pretty snazzy, huh? I could get used to something like this. What do you think, Kid? Should I keep the cape for everyday wear?”

“Mmm, yeah sure… I-I mean I don’t care. Do whatever you want, it’s your outfit.” As he felt his face start to heat up, Linkara quickly turned around and bent over, pretending to adjust his boots for a moment. He heard Harvey chuckling softly behind him, not to mention snickers from Linksano, which only made him redder. “S-so, uh, we should get going. Right now. So yeah, I’m leaving.”

“But Linkara, we must wait for 90s Kid and Dan,” Linksano reminded him.

“Oh yeah. Of course. Let me just check on them.” Linkara hurried over to the stairs and shouted up in a slightly strained voice. “90s Kid! Dan! We’re ready to go now, so get your butts down here!”

“I am totally ready for a night of excellent partying, my friend. Rock on! Nirvana rules!”

Linkara jumped at the sudden voice behind him and whirled around to find Dan dressed in a flannel jacket, a black baseball cap, and sunglasses. “Oh my God, Dan, tell me you’re not dressed as-”

“Isn’t this the most extremely awesome costume ever?” Dan asked as he made devil horns.

“Like hanging around one of them isn’t bad enough,” Linkara muttered. “Okay, nice costume, Dan, and I’m sure 90s Kid will be super flattered, but we really have to get going, so would you go get him for me?”

“There’s, like, no need for that, Linkara. Now that I’ve finished watching my cassette of Manimal episodes and junk, I am ready to have a tubular time at the party.”

Linkara and Dan both turned to watch 90s Kid, who was wearing a familiar white suit jacket and red shirt over jeans, slide down the banister. He landed with a thud in front of them and adjusted the 80s-style 3-D glasses, which had replaced his usual shades, before beaming brightly.

“You get it? I’m, like, totally Dan!”

“Yeah, it’s brilliant,” Linkara said, trying not to roll his eyes. “So, did you two synchronize this?” 

“No! I had no idea Kid was doing this!” Dan quickly pulled his boyfriend into a hug and kissed him. “Kid, this is so sweet. You even managed to find a jacket the right shade of Crockett!”

“Yeah, that was totally hard to do, man-hey wait, dude. Are you me?”

Dan nodded. “I’m totally you, sweetie. Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it!” It was 90s Kid’s turn to pull Dan into a hug and kiss, and Linkara actually did roll his eyes this time. 

“Okay, guys, remember, it’s not Valentine’s Day yet, so you can hold back on the lovey-dovey stuff for a while.”

“Aw, but you’re forgetting that it’s not just Valentine’s Day which brings people together, good sir,” Dan said, his arms still wrapped around 90s Kid. “Halloween has long been known as a harbinger of romance and passionate emotions.”

Linkara looked at him skeptically. “Yeah, sure, Dan. I’ll remember that the next time I see someone carving hearts and flowers into a pumpkin. But for now, can we please get going?”

“We all set here, Kid?” Linkara’s face reddened again as Harvey called out to them. “I don’t think there’s much time left.”

“You’re right, Harvey, and we’re all leaving right now.” Linkara shook his head and made for the front door, which was gallantly being held open for him by Harvey.

“After you, Kid.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Linkara couldn’t help suddenly wondering what he would look like in a mini-skirt and tiara. 

\-----

“Hey, Snob. Thanks for inviting us tonight.” Linkara smiled at his friend before raising his eyebrows at his outfit, which consisted of jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap. “Wow, that look is certainly a change for you.” 

“God damn it,” Snob said, crossing his arms and looking extremely irritated. “Are you going to give me shit about this too? I wear a suit every fucking day, so why shouldn’t I be allowed to wear something else on Halloween?”

Linkara raised his hands in surrender. “No, Snob, that’s not what I meant-”

“I already got an earful from that fucking arthouse stalker of mine-”

“I am not a stalker!” Oancitizen, who was sporting a set of antennae and a spiral shell on his back, called from the punch bowl.

“-but I thought you would at least give me a fucking break, Linkara!”

“Hey, easy pal,” Harvey said, stepping forward to try and cool Snob down. “The Kid didn’t mean anything. He was just surprised is all.”

“Who the hell are you?” Snob asked, looking at Harvey with scorn. “No, it doesn’t matter, I already hate you.”

“Oh Snob, you’re always so grumpy when you meet new people,” Dan said, pushing to the front of the group. “But don’t worry, buddy, I’m here now so you can relax.” 

Snobs expression grew murderous. “I swear to God, Dan, if you hug me-”

“Kid, I think this situation calls for a double-dose of Dan hugs!”

“You got it, dude!” 

While Snob was caught in an embrace between the two, and starting to turn blue in the face as he struggled to escape, Linkara and the others made their way inside the house. Most of the other producers were there dancing, drinking, and just having a good time, save for a red scrubbed Dr. Insano, who was listening to the punchbowl with a stethoscope and frowning. He reached into his coat and pulled out a silver flask but before he could open it, he caught sight of the team.

“You! What are you doing here?” Linkara sighed and prepared to pull out his Magic Gun as Insano charged toward him, but to his surprise, the doctor rushed right past him and ended up nose-to-nose with Linksano.

“I was invited, of course,” Linksano said, scowling deeply at the other man. “Unlike you, who I’m sure snuck in after failing to receive an invitation!”

“I was invited as well!” Insano declared. “The Cinema Snob requested a brilliant but mad scientist attend his soiree to give it a more authentic feeling of horror, which is why Spoony and I were both honored with requests to attend!”

“Well, he was clearly misinformed then, since the only thing brilliant about you is the shine on your goggles, you incompetent boob!”

“How dare you-hey, wait a moment. Are you dressed as Dr. Horrible too?”

The scientists studied each other’s costumes for a moment before their sneers returned with a vengeance.

“You uninspired hack!”

“At least this costume actually suits me, a true mental giant!”

“You will pay for that unfounded boasting!”

As Linksano chased Insano out into the kitchen, the rest of the team turned to each other and shrugged. “At least Linksano can’t say he was bored after this,” Linkara said. 

“Greetings, everyone! Halloweenie welcomes you to the party!”

Linkara almost balked as a man with a giant skull covering his head walked over to him. “Phelous? Is that you?”

“I know not of this Phelous,” an accent-using Phelous answered. “For I am Halloweenie, your guide to all things Halloween… ie.” 

“Would you take that fucking thing off your head?” Snob snapped after finally managing to escape the hug. “I told you that it creeps me the hell out.”

“But Halloweenie has done something to please you!” Phelous suddenly bent down and picked up Lloyd, who had been rubbing against his ankles. “Behold: Pumpkin Lloyd!”

A tiny felt pumpkin hat had been tied to Lloyd’s head. Linkara was expecting more of Snob’s wrath upon seeing his beloved pet humiliated like that, but to his shock Snob actually stared at his cat with a smile on his face.

“Oh my God, Lloyd looks like the cutest fucking thing ever. Where did you get that hat? I want to buy more, one for every holiday.”

“Halloweenie made them with his magic powers-I found them on Ebay.”

“Show me now.”

As Snob and Phelous slipped off to find the nearest computer, Ninja Style Dancer and Boffo learned a dance contest was happening in the living room and quickly decided to enter. Harvey turned to Linkara, a question in his eyes.

“You thinking about entering too, Kid?”

“Well, I sort of was,” Linkara admitted, “but I don’t think I can stand a chance against Ninja there.”

“So what if we don’t win. We could still have a good time cutting a rug with everyone.” Linkara felt himself nodding in agreement and Harvey’s smile grew. “So, uh, I was thinking that maybe we could-” Before he could finish his thought, Maven of the Eventide appeared before them.

“Good evening,” she said, bowing gracefully before the two. “I couldn’t help but take notice of your gentleman friend here, Linkara. Is he perhaps free for a spin around the dance floor and a glass of blood-oh, I mean, wine?”

“He’s not a vampire, you know,” Linkara said flatly.

“I know that!” Maven snapped before clearing her throat and calming down again. “But he is the closest thing here to a creature of darkness, and his outfit reminds me of a certain phantom I admire, so I would be honored to spend an evening in his company.”

“Oh, er, that’s a sweet offer, miss,” Harvey started to say before Linkara cut him off.

“Well, I’m not really in the mood for dancing anyway, so if you want to enter the contest, Harvey, why not make Maven your partner?”

“I suppose I could do that, Kid,” Harvey said, though he looked less than thrilled with the idea.

“Hey, Linkara!” Spoony, dressed as the Avatar, popped his head out of the kitchen. “Sage set up Halloween beer pong in here! You in or are you too afraid of me kicking your fuddy-duddy ass?”

“I’d never be afraid of you!” Linkara called back at once, since this was the perfect opportunity to put his belief into action. What could be more youthful than drinking yourself into a stupor? “I’ll be right there to show you who can out-drink who!” Before leaving, he turned back to Harvey and Maven. “Good luck with the contest.”

“Thanks,” Harvey said with the slightest hint of a frown. It vanished though when Maven took his hand and pulled him out onto the floor, since a gentleman never has less than a pleasant time with a lady.

“Hey Dan,” 90s Kid said as he and Dan walked over to the snack table, “you wanna enter the contest too?”

“Nah. Unless we’re doing the ‘Bud the C.H.U.D.’, I’m not really a dancing kind of guy,” Dan replied. “Actually I’m more interested in introducing myself to all these party-goers. I’ve met so few of Snob’s friends that I want to make up for lost time.” 

“Oh, okay. I think I’ll, like, get my boogie on with Boffo and Ninja-dude, then.”

“Sure.” Dan pecked 90s Kid on the cheek and grinned at him. “See you later, Kid. Oh, and have a totally awesome evening for sure!”

90s Kid laughed and nodded. “Yeah, you too. Don’t, like, gag yourself with a spoon or anything.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

\-----

The rest of the party passed by uneventfully for the most part. Ninja-Style Dancer won the dance contest, as expected, and spent the rest of the evening teaching a class with Boffo on the proper way to do the Monster Mash. Linksano and Insano came up with new ways to insult each other which always resulted in one running after the other with some sort of make-shift weapon, and Maven pulled Harvey off into a corner for an evening of discussion that somehow always came back to vampires.

“So, are there any good steak joints around here, Miss Maven?”

“Not that I’m aware of. I’m not very fond of steaks, though, particularly the kind used to slay innocent night-walkers.”

“Uh, yeah, right.” Harvey swallowed the rest of his wine and caught sight of Linkara walking by with a bag of marshmallows. “Hey, Kid! Want to sit and chat a bit?”

“I’d like to, Harvey, but Spoony’s waiting for me to bring these to him.” He glanced down at their wine glasses. “Besides, I’d hate to interrupt your evening.” 

“You’re not-”

“How kind of you, Linkara,” Maven broke in with a pleased nod. “I have rarely felt such a strong connection with another soul and I would love to extend the evening indefinitely, if that’s all right with you?” She batted her eyelashes at the singer, who seemed to grow more uncomfortable by the gesture.

“Uh, that’s a nice offer and all, but I don’t know, Miss Maven.”

“Go on, Harvey,” Linkara encouraged as he took out a marshmallow to chew on. “You never get to hang out with lovely ladies back at the base, so how can you pass up an opportunity like this?”

“Kid,” Harvey said softly in a more urgent voice than was usual for him, “I really was hoping to talk to you tonight-” 

“Hey, Linkara! You ready to have your ass handed to you?” Spoony poked his head out of the kitchen and smiled tauntingly at him.

“Please, Spoony, you’ve been making that threat all night and you’ve yet to beat me in anything!” Linkara called back. “Sorry, Harvey, but I’d really better get going. We can talk later, okay?”

“Whatever you say, Kid.” Linkara nodded and hurried off into the kitchen, leaving Harvey to empty the last of his wine into his glass as Maven began a monologue on how Lestat could destroy Edward in a vampire battle.

\-----

Dan, having finished meeting and ‘impressing’ every other guest with his costume, decided to meet back up with his inspiration for the evening. He easily found 90s Kid sitting on Snob’s couch and glancing through his extensive VHS collection.

“Hey, Kid.”

“Hey, Dan.” 

Surprised by his lack of enthusiasm, Dan sat down beside him and looked at 90s Kid in slight concern. “Everything okay? I thought I’d find you Monster Mashing out on the dance floor with the others, not sitting all by yourself.”

“Well I would do that, dude, but all the awesome dudes, like, split or something.” 90s Kid gestured around the room and Dan noticed that the class had disbanded and there were significantly fewer people around than normal. “And I think these other dudes are, like, too busy doing other junk to hang.”

“Ah, I understand now,” Dan said in a knowing voice as he continued to observe the party-goers. He smiled and laid an arm around 90s Kid’s shoulders. “It’s like I was telling Linkara earlier: few can resist the allure of Halloween’s siren song.”

“Huh?” 90s Kid looked at Dan blankly.

“Allow me to explain,” Dan continued. “Halloween night is meant to be about scares and monsters, right? Everyone focuses on things that go bump in the night or things that make your heart race with fright, and they hide behind disguises throughout the night, right?” 90s Kid nodded, chuckling a bit at Dan’s rhyme. “Well, Kid, what many fail to realize is that when these elements combine, they help to unleash our more powerful and deep-seated human urges.” 

“I’m still not getting you, dude.”

Laughing a little, Dan reached over to rest his hand upon 90s Kid’s chest. “What does it usually mean when your heart starts racing, Kid? That you’re engaged in a fierce battle you just can’t lose?”

“I bet you’ll never be able to bob more apples than me two minutes!” Spoony challenged as he and Linkara raced toward the tank of floating fruit.

“I’ll take that bet! Prepare to lose again, Spoony!”

“Wait, this isn’t filled with water, it’s Crystal Pepsi.”

“So what? I’ll still destroy you, Final Fantasy boy!”

“Or maybe it means that you’re angry about something,” Dan continued, not reacting at all as drops of soda splashed across his sunglasses.

“You will never be the superior scientist!” Insano shrieked as he chased Linksano through the living room. “Admit that I am your better!”

“Never! No unless you admit that your Suicide Squirrels are flea-bitten vermin that could be outmaneuvered by lobotomized chickens!”

“How dare you speak that way about my squirrels? I’ll kill you!”

“But if you’re lucky,” Dan finished as the scientists continued their chase out the door and into the front yard, “a racing heartbeat means that you’ve found someone who’s given you good reason to feel excited.”

“This party sucks,” Todd said with a sigh as he flopped down onto Rap Critic’s lap.

“I know.”

“Want to make out?”

“Yeah.”

Dan’s grin grew as he nodded knowingly toward the music-lovers. “See, Kid? Just like in the case of my good friends Dr. Spock and the blonde, masked cowgirl-”

“Uh, I don’t think that’s a girl, dude,” 90s Kid murmured with a blush as he saw Todd and Rap Critic collapse into a heap onto the floor, still locking lips.

“-Halloween has affected them as if they’d been struck by Cupid’s arrow itself.” Dan continued to look around the room, noticing Harvey and Maven laughing warmly at some joke and lifting their legs to avoid the rolling duo of Welshy and Panda, who had also decided to utilize the carpet for their grope fest. 90s Kid watched the others as well, still blushing over what he saw, but feeling less confused.

“I think I get it now, dude. Halloween, like, makes you all excited, like you want to make-out and stuff.”

“Right,” Dan agreed, pulling 90s Kid a little closer to him. “And if you’re really lucky, you get to do a lot more than make out. Oh, hey Snob!”

“Fuck me, are you still here?” Snob, still looking grumpy as ever, stopped his trek from the bathroom to the stairs to glare at Dan in annoyance. 

“Of course, silly,” Dan replied with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t leave my best friend’s party without saying good night first!”

“For the last fucking time, I am not-”

“Especially not without congratulating him on finding a new special someone!”

Snob froze at those words and his eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious to tell if you look at the clues,” Dan said, still smiling. “Your face is flushed, your pupils are dilated, your shirt is now inside-out, and you’re panting quite heavily for someone who just came out of the bathroom.”

Snob continued to glare at him. “You’re full of shit, Dan.”

“Oh, am I? Then there isn’t someone else sneaking out of the bathroom right now?” Snob’s head whirled around as Phelous quickly moved from the bathroom into the kitchen where he picked up his giant skull and slipped it back onto his head. 

“I… that wasn’t… we were just…” Snob quit his feeble protests when he realized Dan was smirking at him, and simply growled at his neighbor. “Fine, you were right. Happy now? Just keep your fucking mouth shut about this and don’t ever use the term ‘special someone’ around me again or I’ll ram a corkscrew up your ass!”

“Of course, Snob,” Dan agreed. “I’m an excellent secret keeper. Just ask 90s Kid here.”

As Snob’s glare moved to 90s Kid, he gulped and quickly told him, “Uh, I’m totally good at keeping secrets too, dude. So, like, d-don’t worry cuz I won’t say anything.”

“Good.” Without sparing another glance their way, Snob stormed upstairs and shut his bedroom door with a rather loud slam. 90s Kid winced at the sound but Dan remained as calm as he always was. 

“I’m really glad Snob did all this. He’s always so much more relaxed at parties.”

“Uh, sure, dude, whatever you say.” 90s Kid cuddled against Dan and rested his head on the older man’s shoulder. “I’m getting, like, sleepy though. Can we maybe head back to your place?’

“Sure, Kid. I think I’ve partied myself out as well for one night. Let me just say good night to Snob and then we can go.” Dan stood up and offered his hand to 90s Kid, helping him stand as well. He was about to head for the stairs when he spied Halloweenie hurrying up them and making a beeline for Snob’s bedroom. “On second thought, I’ll just come over tomorrow to tell him,” Dan decided as he turned to walk outside with 90s Kid. “Snob and his new special someone really should get some alone time.”

“I, like, thought we weren’t supposed to say that, Dan?”

“Oh, Snob’s always kidding around like that. Besides, I lost his corkscrew last month.”

\-----

Linkara sat on the front step of Snob’s house drying himself with a towel. The chest of his costume was completely soaked and he knew it would smell like Crystal Pepsi for a very long time.

“Damn it,” he muttered before sighing. “Why do I always get like this? I came here to have a fun time with my friends, and I end up in stupid competitions with Spoony all night. Is there anyone more pathetic than me?”

“I… I’m gonna… get you…”

“You… blathering… nitwit…”

“Pompous… nincompoop…”

Linkara paused his actions to watch Linksano and Insano crawl across the grass after each other, casting feeble punches and pulling at each other’s goggles before the collapsed into a panting mass of limbs and lab coats.

“Well, that answers that,” Linkara muttered. The front door opened and drew his attention to Harvey, who flashed the younger man a small grin.

“Hey, Kid. Mind if I join ya?”

“Sure, if you’d like,” Linkara said with an embarrassed shrug. “Though I don’t know why you’d want to spend time with an over-competitive jackass like me. You’d probably be better off talking to Maven.”

“Nah, it turns out we don’t have as much in common as you’d think, Kid.” Harvey flattened down his cape and took a seat beside Linkara with a soft sigh as he settled onto the step. “Besides, you’re not a jackass. It’s just this kooky night. Everyone’s stuffing their faces with candy, wearing costumes, running around in the dark like a loon-that all gets into your head, makes you do all sorts of nutty things.”

“Like compete with your best friend in completely pointless contests to prove to no one that you’re not too old?” Linkara asked with a wry smile.

“Like that. Even though I’d never think you were too old, considering I’m practically ancient myself,” Harvey lightly joked. “Or sometimes, it… makes you do things you wouldn’t even dream of doing if you weren’t wearing a disguise.”

Linkara frowned slightly. “What do you mean, Harvey?” Harvey didn’t respond, so Linkara turned to him and was taken aback to realize Harvey was staring at him intensely.

“Like telling the person you’ve had your eye on for some time that you think he’s the bees knees.”

Linkara’s mouth suddenly went dry and he felt a dull heat start to creep up into his face. Harvey continued to stare at him, his piercing blue eyes boring into Linkara’s.

“I… I don’t think I understand.”

“Do you want to know the real reason I dressed up like this tonight?” Harvey didn’t wait for Linkara to answer, he just kept talking. “Because I knew once upon a time you really dug this Tuxedo Mask cat… and I wanted to be the type of guy you could go gaga over even for just one night.”

Linkara was too stunned to speak. He just kept staring back at Harvey while his heart started to pound in his ears, so loudly he could barely make out what the other man was saying. Harvey carefully pulled the mask away from his face and continued to gaze deeply into Linkara’s eyes. 

“I know this isn’t the best time to tell you, Kid, but I just can’t keep it in anymore.” Harvey looked down slightly, and Linkara vaguely realized that his cheeks were starting to glow red as well. “I’ve been with you for so long now, watching you fight for your life and protecting the other from those crazy monsters. And every time you’ve been close to being hurt or… or worse, well, it felt like my heart was being pumped full of lead by the most powerful Tommy gun in the world. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you, Kid. I can’t stand the thought of losing you… not when you make me feel so dizzy inside.”

Harvey’s hand moved into his pocket and he pulled out Tuxedo Mask’s trademark, a red rose. He ran his fingers over the velvety petals before offering it almost shyly to Linkara.

“Kid, I’m over the moon for you. I haven’t felt like this for someone in a long time; in fact, I never thought I would feel this way for someone again, but when I’m with you, there isn’t anything that makes me happier than seeing your smiling face. I know it’s too much to expect you to feel the same way, but I just gotta let my heart sing this one time. If you don’t feel anything for me but friendship, I’ll understand, and I’ll never mention any of this to you again. But if there’s a chance you do feel like I do,” Harvey’s voice hitched slightly and he squared his shoulders before continuing, “then please, Kid, tell me.” Harvey’s eyes softened, as did his voice. “Life is short. We know that better than most, Kid, since we’re out there risking ours most days. I don’t mind dying for you or any of the others, but if there’s even one shot for me to live for you… and to love you… then I want to take it, Linkara.”

Linkara’s eyes widened at the sound of his name. He would never get used to hearing Harvey call him that, no matter how much time passed. He wanted to say something back, something as touching and heartfelt as Harvey’s speech had been, but words were failing him now. All Linkara could do was reach out to take the rose, which he grasped with numb hands and twirled between his fingers. He was still staring at Harvey, unable to speak and barely managing to think, desperately willing the right words to magically pop out of his mouth.

But before he could find what he needed to say, Harvey stood again.

“I know I dropped a lot on you, Kid, and I’m awful sorry for doing it at a party. You don’t have to give me an answer now. Just think it over, and tell me when you’re ready. I’ve got all the time in the world now.”

Harvey flashed his smile again before slipping the mask back over his eyes and vanishing into the house. Linkara watched him, staring at the door long after it had closed, before moving his gaze back down to the rose he clutched. Out on the lawn, Linksano and Insano had passed out and the moonlight glinted off their goggles, making them sparkle.

Linkara envied them. He knew sleep was not going to be anywhere in his foreseeable future.


End file.
